Discovering Anduki Park

TUCKED away in the corner between Seria town and Lumut, is a recreational park known to the locals as Anduki Recreational Park.

Built sometime in 1992, the park is located on the roadside of the old road connecting Lumut-Seria and Kuala Belait. It was constructed to commemorate the silver jubilee of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. The project was developed by Brunei Shell Petroleum.

Originally, the park is a series of abandoned natural sand pit – formed due to its location near the coast. These flooded sand pits were transformed into a 53-hectare landscaped leisure area, whereby the former deep sandpits have been converted into a broad lake in the middle of the recreational area.

Back then, the lake serves as the focal point for a range of recreational activities including fishing, boating and windsurfing. Recently, it became popular for radio-controlled (RC) boats race. The rising popularity of the race has led to a newly constructed RC boat station – two-storeys in height, where racers can easily watch over their game.

Due to this facility, the park has often became the site of RC Boats championship in Belait district. Local RC boat racer Abdul Musa said that interest in the activity in Belait has risen since the RC boat station was built.

“It helps a lot of the racers, rather than playing the game on the same ground level as the lake,” Abdul Musa said. “The new waterfront is also helpful for viewers, and the fixed facilities – prayer hall and washrooms – have made the park more visitor-friendly.”

Various renovations has given the park its beautiful surroundings and facilities that are enjoyed by the public today.

In addition to the newly constructed RC boat station, a 3.2-kilometre jogging track has been constructed – one of the tracks goes around the lake. These tracks are also suitable for cyclists and leisure walkers.

Picnic spots have been renovated and equipped with shelters to provide shade and seating, along with designated barbecue pits.

Speaking to one of the joggers in the area, Mohd Izam Aswandi said that while the place is popular because of the RC race, the recent renovations has made the park come alive with families during Friday to Sunday afternoons.

According to Mohd Izam, parts of the jogging track which surrounds the lake was disconnected for some time in 2014.

“It was fixed recently, and a lot of people have taken the opportunity for a leisure walk surrounding the lake,” said the Seria resident, who frequents the park after working hours.

The site is also landscaped with attractive plants and shrubs, with tall trees found in coastal areas providing a nice natural shade for the joggers. The playground area has also been enlarged; other new additions include a waterfront and refurbished washrooms and praying hall.

However, certain sightings of crocodiles have made visitors more aware when having picnics or activities in the area; warning signs have also been put up near the lake. Its location near to Belait’s only airfield – Anduki airfield – also means that the sound of helicopters would be inevitable throughout certain times of the day.

DESPITE first making its appearance in the Sultanate during the 1940s, Kuih Mor continues to be a household favourite today as a tea time snack or festive treat particularly during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

Siti Norhafizah Hj Bagol, a final year student at Universiti Brunei Darussalam who researched on Kuih Mor as part of her Brunei Traditional Industry module, said the three-ingredient sweet treat may have existed in Brunei as early as the 1940s when padi was known to have been grown to make different food items.

Over time, the cookie has also become a popular door-gift choice often handed out at Malay weddings or gatherings, said Siti Norhafizah.

Made with flour, oil and granulated sugar which have been ground into a powder, the bite-sized biscuits have a crumbly texture and are coated with powdered sugar.

The age-old technique of making Kuih Mor by hand has however changed over the course of time, with many now opt…

BY COMMAND of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Prime Minister’s Office hereby announces that His Majesty has consented to the transfer and appointment of the following senior officers – Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid, Permanent Secretary (Law and Welfare) at the Prime Minister’s Office as well as the Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau and Solicitor General has been transferred to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; and Datin Elinda binti Haji CA Mohamed, Special Senior Duties Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs has been appointed as Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau.